


Lifeline

by LazyRainDancer



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Childhood Friends, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Canon, takes place a year before canon storyline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 14:22:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21254792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyRainDancer/pseuds/LazyRainDancer
Summary: Rei quietly asks, “Hey, An-chan, if it were you in that position, what would you do? If someone you knew shattered to pieces, how would you react?”After taking a deep breath, Anzu slowly exhales, “If I were in that position, I’d do whatever it takes to save my friend. I wouldn’t accept failure as an option. I’d keep collecting and picking up their pieces and find a way to put them together again no matter how long it takes.”





	Lifeline

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've only been writing Enstars for a little while. Before I started writing, I commissioned writers instead. One particular AU that I had two fics commissioned for was the childhood friends AU where Anzu is childhood friends with Rei and Ritsu. You can see the fic with those commissions [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20619920/chapters/48961967).
> 
> The latest chapter was recently posted, but I actually made the request before I started writing myself. It was after I made that commission request that I wanted to give writing that idea a try since I had come up with some scenarios that I wanted to bring to life. So, the general plot of this fic is pretty much the same as that second chapter. However, they're still pretty different in content so I definitely recommend the other fic if you haven't already read it!

“Hey there, cutie, I haven’t seen you around before. Are you out shopping all by yourself? Need some help carrying your bags?”

Anzu internally cringes once she realizes the boy is talking to her. Of all the things that could happen to her while out shopping for art supplies, why did it have to be this?

While she knows exactly what kind of situation she's in, this is actually Anzu’s first time dealing with being hit on by a total stranger since she has two overprotective childhood friends and has always gone to an all girls school. Thanks to the latter, the brunette rarely interacts with boys, but when she does, her childhood friends are usually around to prevent other boys from flirting with her.

Realizing she has no choice but to handle this situation on her own, Anzu does her best to smile politely, hoping it doesn’t look as forced as it feels. “Thank you for the offer, but it’s only one bag and it’s not very heavy. So, I don’t need any help carrying it. I’m all done with my shopping now, so I was actually on my way home.

The brown haired teen standing before her grins, “In that case, how about I walk you home? It’s not good for cute girls to be walking by themselves at this hour.”

Doesn’t she know it. Anzu really wishes she had asked her brother to come along with her instead of going shopping by herself today. 

Deciding evasive maneuvers are now necessary, the brunette starts briskly walking in the direction of her house after giving the boy a slight bow in an attempt to look apologetic. “I’m sorry! I’m actually in a hurry since someone is waiting for me. Thank you for the kind offer, though!”

She’s lying through her teeth, but at this point, Anzu doesn’t care. She just wants to get rid of this guy, so she can go home and draw. 

Of course, things can’t end that smoothly. Before she can make her escape, a hand latches onto her wrist, preventing her from moving further. 

“You don’t have to leave that quickly, do you? I’m sure the person that’s waiting for you won’t mind if you’re a few minutes late.”

A shiver runs down her spine at the sight of his smirk. Great. It’s just her luck that she had to run into a flirt who’s annoyingly persistent.

Deciding she’s done with trying to be polite, Anzu opens her mouth to demand that he release her, but before she can, someone else does it instead.

“If you don’t wanna lose that hand of yours, I recommend you let go of her right now.”

Her eyes widen at the sound of a very familiar voice that she hasn’t heard in awhile. Seconds after those words are spoken, an arm wraps around her shoulders while a hand grabs the wrist of the teen who’s still clutching her wrist.

Looking upwards, Anzu sees Rei scowling as he glares at the other boy. “Rei-kun? You’re back home?”

When he lowers his gaze to meet hers, his anger melts away, replaced with a much friendlier expression. Rei grins, “It just so happens that I got back a little while ago. I was out on a walk and happened to see you havin’ a little trouble. So, I thought I’d lend a hand.”

After saying that, the idol redirects his attention back toward the other teen who stiffens at the sight of her childhood friend’s chilly glare. “You gonna let go willingly, or am I gonna have to force you?”

The brown haired teen quickly shakes his head as he releases his grip on Anzu’s wrist. Once he does that, Rei lets go of the other’s wrist, allowing the boy to make a hasty retreat. Either the flirt recognized her childhood friend and knew not to mess with him, or he was just smart enough to realize just by looking at him that Rei is not an opponent anyone would want to willingly have.

Rather than pay the other boy any mind, Rei focuses his full attention on his childhood friend, using his now free hand to gently hold her wrist. As he gives it a careful once over, he asks, “Does it hurt?”

Anzu gives him a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. He wasn’t holding my wrist that tightly, but I appreciate you getting him to let go. Thank you, Rei-kun.”

He hugs her close as he smiles, “No problem. Glad I came by when I did.”

She immediately returns the embrace. All the negative emotions she was feeling earlier fade away, replaced with excitement over getting to see her friend for the first time in a while. “I didn’t know you were coming back today. You were in London, right? How was it?”

After they end the hug, Rei keeps an arm around her shoulders as they start heading in the direction of her home. “Not bad. All the rain was kinda depressing, but because the sun wasn’t out, I was pretty energetic the whole time I was there. So, that was a nice change of pace.”

The next several minutes pass with him telling her more about the country he visited as he answers all of her questions. When he asks about school, Anzu tells him about Suzu, a shy girl in her class who she’s currently trying to befriend, and the tea club, which she became the president of because there were no older members and the other first year members were busy with student council responsibilities, leaving her as the best option for the role. 

Even though she already has an idea what his answer will be, Anzu eventually asks, “Have you seen Ritchan since you got back?”

Rei shakes his head before giving her a weak smile. “When I came home, he wasn’t there. Ritsu probably knows I’m back and has no intention of comin’ home.”

Seeing her sad frown, the dark haired boy quickly moves to ruffle her hair. “It’s alright, An-chan. I brought this upon myself when I broke my promise to him. My actions hurt him, so I can’t blame him if he doesn’t want to see me.”

She slumps against him as she continues to frown. “But, things will never change if you two don’t talk. Since you’re gone so much, these are the only moments you guys can see each other.”

He sighs, “You’re right. Unfortunately, there’s nothin’ I can do right now. I wanna talk to him, more than anything. But, that feelin’ is obviously not mutual since he’s willin’ to avoid goin’ home just to keep from seein’ me. I can’t force him to talk to me when he’s like that. It’ll just make him want to push me away even more.”

Anzu lowers her gaze. “I tried talking to him about it, but he wouldn’t listen. I wish I could do more to help, but I don’t know what else I can do. I’m sorry.”

Her childhood friend gives her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “It’s fine. You’re doin’ more than enough. I appreciate you lookin’ out for Ritsu when I can’t. Thank you.”

Even though he says that, Anzu wants to do more. She wants to help her friends repair their broken relationship. She wants them to be able to smile like they did back when they were kids. Unfortunately, things just aren’t that easy.

At the very least, since there’s nothing she can currently do to help mend the brothers’ relationship, the brunette wishes she could do something to help Rei. He must be incredibly lonely at the mansion with Ritsu not there. 

That’s when she gets an idea. “Hey, Rei-kun, would it be alright if I went home with you? Since it’s been awhile, I’d like to hang out with you more so we can catch up. I’ll make dinner, so I can show you how much my cooking has improved since you last tried it.”

While she can’t do much, Anzu can at least be there for her childhood friend. She knows how much he hates being alone, so she’s hoping his mood will improve if she sticks around to keep him company.

Rei blinks in surprise at her request before a pleased grin appears on his face. “Of course, you can, An-chan. You know, you’re always welcome at our house.”

A relieved smile appears on her face when she takes in the sight of his now much happier expression. She’s glad that her efforts to improve his mood were successful.

As they start heading for the older boy’s home, Anzu pulls out her phone so she can let her parents know where she’ll be. She decides to tell them that she’ll be sleeping over, figuring the longer she remains with Rei, the happier he’ll be. Thankfully, her parents are used to her sleeping over at the Sakuma mansion, so she knows they won’t mind.

The rest of the walk to the mansion is spent with Anzu telling her childhood friend about the supplies she bought and what she has been drawing lately. Just like he does every time she brings up her art, Rei is quick to ask if he can see some pictures, and she promises to show him her sketchbook later much to his delight.

For as long as she has been drawing, Rei has always liked her art, claiming to be her biggest fan. Of course, Ritsu is always quick to refute that claim much to her amusement. 

While she is happy that the brothers like her art, Anzu wishes Rei would get rid of all the old drawings she made when she was a kid. It’s always so embarrassing seeing those pictures hanging up on his bedroom wall. Unfortunately for her, the older brother refuses to do so, claiming that the pictures are all his treasures that he could never bear to part with.

Ritsu has also kept all the drawings she made for him, but at least he just keeps them in a binder. So, she only has to deal with that embarrassment when he brings out the binder to tease her.

Once they arrive at the mansion, Anzu sets her shopping bag down on the living room table before heading to the kitchen with Rei trailing behind her. She tells him to leave all the cooking to her, so he takes a seat at the kitchen island, content to watch and chat with her while she prepares the food.

Later on, after she finishes cooking, Rei is all smiles as he eats, complimenting her every chance he gets. While she thinks he’s over-exaggerating, Anzu appreciates how her childhood friend is always so supportive when she tries to learn new skills like cooking and drawing. 

Every time he praises her, wearing an expression that’s nothing but proud, the brunette feels so happy because it makes her think her hard work was worth it. Even though she still has a long way to go when it comes to cooking and drawing, his encouragement makes her feel like she can really become better if she tries hard enough. 

Dinner is spent with them catching up as they eat. Once Anzu runs out of interesting stories to tell, Rei spends the rest of the conversation telling her more about his travels. Even after they finish eating, the two continue to chat as the hours pass them by.

It’s Rei who eventually points out how late it is after he catches Anzu trying to unsuccessfully muffle her yawn. He chuckles as he reaches over to ruffle her hair. “I think it’s time for you to head to bed. Tomorrow is a school day so you shouldn’t stay up late just to chat with me.”

Anzu moves to rub her eyes. “I can stay awake a little longer if you want to talk more, Rei-kun. After all, it’s been so long since we last hung out like this.”

His expression softens in response to her words. Smiling gently, Rei kisses her forehead after pulling her into his arms. “Thank you, An-chan. I appreciate you wantin’ to keep me company, but it’s fine, I promise. While I usually stay up, I plan on going to bed tonight ‘cause I’m worn out thanks to the jet lag.”

A frown forms on her face. “In that case, you should’ve said that sooner! You should’ve told me you were tired, so I wouldn’t have kept you up this late.”

He continues to smile as he runs his fingers through her hair. “My feelings were the same as yours. Rather than sleep, I just wanted to spend as much time as I could with you. I missed gettin’ to talk with you like this.”

Her frown fades, replaced with a soft smile. Anzu quickly moves to hug her childhood friend. “I’m glad I got to see you before you left on your next trip.”

Rei gives her a gentle squeeze. “Me too, An-chan, me too.”

Not long after that, the two head to bed. While Rei goes to his room, Anzu enters the guest room which has unofficially become her room over the last several years since the Sakuma family rarely has guests over aside from her and Mao. 

Thankfully, the brunette always keeps a spare uniform at the Sakuma mansion since sleepovers are so common. So, she can head straight to school in the morning rather than have to go home to change clothes.

After she changes into the spare pajamas she keeps in the room, Anzu slides under the covers and closes her eyes. Just as she starts to drift off, Anzu remembers the content expression Rei was wearing when he wished her a good night.

It made her happy seeing Rei looking more cheerful as compared to when they were walking home from the shopping district. With all her heart, the brunette wishes her childhood friend could always wear that expression and not have to worry about all the burdens constantly put on his shoulders.

If only wishes came true…

###### 

Several weeks later, not long after summer begins, Anzu reunites with Rei. This time she finds out about his arrival from Mao who told her about Ritsu being in a bad mood lately. Since that usually happens when Rei comes home, Mao sent a message to Anzu to let her know about what was going on, figuring Ritsu hadn’t told her anything about his older brother’s return.

The redhead was right to assume that. Ritsu hates talking about anything involving his brother, so he never tells her when Rei is home. She usually only finds out after she discovers Ritsu has been sleeping at school rather than going home. 

Later that day, after school lets out, Anzu immediately heads for the Sakuma mansion. Since Ritsu told Mao that he wasn’t going home today, that means Rei is either at home now or he’s supposed to get back sometime this evening.

Unfortunately, the brunette has no way to confirm this with Rei since he’s so bad with technology. No matter how many times she tries to teach him how to use a cellphone, it never works out which she finds amazing considering how talented he is at just about anything else. 

When she finally arrives at the mansion, Anzu uses the key her childhood friends gave her to open the front door rather than bother trying to knock. There’s a chance Rei is at home fast asleep thanks to jet lag so she’d hate to risk waking him.

After setting her things to the side, the brunette walks through the house, checking all the usual places where Rei likes to spend his free time. Since her search eventually comes up empty, Anzu figures that must mean he hasn’t gotten back yet.

While she could head home and try coming by again tomorrow, Anzu would rather just wait at the mansion for him to get home. It’s not often Rei has someone to welcome him home, considering his busy schedule, so she knows he’d be happy to find her there waiting for him.

It’s unfortunate, but Rei isn’t used to others doing things like that for him. The idol is always in the position where others are asking him to do things for them, never the reverse. 

And, Anzu hates that. She hates how often people take advantage of her kindhearted friend--how he gives and gives and gives until there’s nothing left of him. 

Rei never puts himself first. No matter how hard things get for him, he’s always going out of his way to help others and never gets anything in return. It’s not fair.

Not only that, the idol has to deal with the burden of all the responsibilities and expectations his family has for him since he’s the oldest. He’s forced to cater to their whims because if he doesn’t then that means Ritsu will have to, and Rei refuses to allow that to happen.

That’s why Anzu decided a long time ago that if no one else would support Rei then she would take that role herself. If no one will offer a lifeline to her friend when he’s drowning in his responsibilities, then she’ll be the one who grabs his hand and pulls him to dry land.

Unfortunately, that’s the only thing she can do for him. Anzu can’t make all his burdens disappear like she wants to. All she can do is stay by his side and make sure he knows he’s not alone. 

Anzu can’t do much, but she can at least do that.

###### 

While her original intention was to stay up until Rei got home, Anzu decides to reconsider when midnight arrives without any sign of the idol. On her way to the guest room, the brunette passes the door to Rei’s room and gets an idea.

Rather than head to her original destination, Anzu opens the door to the older boy’s room. If she sleeps in there, then she’ll know when he finally gets home. 

Since she’s normally a light sleeper, the brunette should notice when he comes to bed. While there’s a chance Rei won’t go to bed since he usually stays up at night, Anzu thinks it’s likely he’ll be tired because of jet lag like he was last time.

With that plan in mind, Anzu crawls under the covers of his bed and makes herself comfortable. Even though it’s been awhile since he last slept there, the bed still smells like her childhood friend which she finds comforting. Because of that, it doesn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

A few hours later, Anzu begins to rouse from her slumber after sensing movement from the other side of the bed. Before she can open her eyes, fingers start gently carding through her hair, making her sigh. 

When she finally manages to pry her eyes open, the brunette sees Rei watching her with amused eyes all the while wearing that soft smile she only sees on his face when he’s around her and Ritsu. 

“Not that I don’t enjoy your company, but what are you doin’ here, An-chan? Miss me that much?”

While it’s obvious he’s just trying to tease her, Anzu sleepily nods as she snuggles closer to her friend. “I found out you were coming home today, and I wanted to be here when you got back. Welcome home, Rei-kun.”

His expression softens at her words. Immediately, Rei wraps his arms around the younger girl and pulls her closer. “I’m home.”

A smile forms on her lips as she nuzzles his chest. “How was your trip?”

Rei hums as he props his chin on top of her head. “It was alright. But, nothin’ particularly interestin’ happened, so I unfortunately don’t have any new stories to share.”

She fights back the urge to yawn, not wanting her childhood friend to think she’s too tired to chat. “Then, I’ll just ask how you’re doing. Are you getting enough rest? I know your crazy schedule often keeps you busy.”

He chuckles, “That’s an understatement, but I’m doin’ fine. No need to worry about me.”

Anzu rolls her eyes as she huffs, “Of course, you’d say that. Honestly, if I don’t worry about you, then who will? I know you won’t.”

The older boy pulls back just enough so he can meet her gaze. “What do you mean?”

Does he seriously not know what she’s referring to, or is he playing dumb? The look of clear confusion in his eyes confirms it’s definitely the former.

A sigh passes her lips. “You’re really good at taking care of others, Rei-kun, but you’re the exact opposite when it comes to yourself. You often put your needs last even though they’re just as important as everyone else’s. I worry that one day you’ll collapse because you pushed yourself too hard.” 

Anzu gives him a look that’s a mixture of fond and exasperated. “You’re good at a lot of things, Rei-kun, but there are two things you’re really bad at that typically go hand-in-hand: taking care of yourself and asking for help.”

As Rei stares at her with wide eyes, the brunette moves to gently cup his cheek. “I know that’s not really your fault. It’s because everyone around you is always asking you for help, expecting you to come to their rescue every time they reach out to you. No one ever offers to do that for you in return.”

His surprise fades, replaced with a weariness that doesn’t belong on a face as young as his. Rei places his hand over hers as he leans into her touch. “I…”

It’s unusual for the idol to look so hesitant. However, she thinks it’s to be expected since this is obviously the first time Rei has ever been in a situation like this where someone is trying to help him without asking for something in return.

Her expression softens as she gently strokes his cheek with her thumb. “You don’t always have to be the one who’s doing all the giving, Rei-kun. Why don’t you try asking for something for once in your life? If it’s something I’m capable of doing, I’ll gladly accept your request because I love you and want you to be happy.”

Rei clutches her tighter as he moves to rest his forehead against hers, allowing her to see the glassy shine in his ruby eyes. “An-chan…”

For awhile, he remains quiet. Eventually, after moving her hand away from his face so he can interlock his fingers with hers, Rei asks, “I have one selfish request. Would you be willin’ to hear me out?”

She gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Of course.”

The corners of his lips quirk upwards. “You didn’t even hesitate, but I guess that’s to be expected from you.”

Briefly, Rei closes his eyes as he quietly exhales. A few seconds later, he opens them so he can hold her gaze. “If I asked you to never hate me or leave me even when I mess up, will you? Will you promise to stay by my side no matter what?”

Tears spring to her eyes at his request. “Oh, Rei-chan…”

Quickly, Anzu releases her grip on his hand so she can cup his face with both of her hands. “What kind of question is that? Of course, I will. I’ll never leave you. I couldn’t even imagine my life without you. You’re that important to me.”

The amount of pure relief in his gaze hurts her heart. Did Rei really think she’d leave him just because of a mistake? That she could ever come to actually hate him?

That’s when she remembers Ritsu, and then, everything makes sense. After being rejected by his one and only brother, Rei has been secretly fearing that the same thing would happen with her if he were to ever mess up again.

All this time, Rei has been afraid that he’d lose her one day too, and she had no idea.

Anzu wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly. “No matter what you do, I won’t ever hate you. I love you and won’t ever stop loving you, I promise.”

Rei immediately returns the embrace before moving to hide his face in her neck. “Thank you.”

She just clutches him tighter in response. Rather than try to explain how he doesn’t need to thank her for something like this, the brunette instead chooses to cling to her friend with all her strength, hoping her actions will convey what her words cannot.

It’s in that position the two friends eventually fall asleep. Throughout the night, they remain in each other’s arms, clinging tightly to one another.

For the first time in a long time, Rei has a completely peaceful slumber.

###### 

After that night, it becomes a routine for Anzu to come over to the Sakuma mansion to wait for Rei on the days she knows he’s supposed to come home. On some occasions, the idol is already home by the time she gets there after school, but more often than not, he ends up coming home late at night.

Every time he comes home at a late hour, Anzu is there waiting for him, usually fast asleep in his bed. Sometimes they’ll chat for awhile before eventually falling asleep while other times Rei will manage to sneak into bed without waking her and go straight to sleep after making himself comfortable beside her.

When the former happens, the brunette often ends up oversleeping because they stay up too late talking, causing her to be late to school. While it’s true she often skips classes due to hating how stifling the classroom environment is, Anzu always makes sure to actually go to school. After all, her parents are more likely to find out about her skipping school entirely than they are about her missing a few classes, and she’d rather avoid having that talk with them.

Despite how often it happens, Anzu never remembers to set an alarm. That’s why once again she wakes up one autumn morning to find that she had overslept and that school will be starting in less than ten minutes. 

Immediately, the brunette tries to climb out of bed, doing her best to be quiet since Rei is still fast asleep. While she should probably try to wake him up so he can go to school too, she decides to let him rest since he did get home pretty late last night. 

Normally, Anzu doesn’t have much trouble escaping the dark haired boy’s hold in the mornings, but today his grip is tighter than usual. So, she’s having a hard time removing herself from his embrace.

Well, Rei has always been a cuddler just like his little brother. Maybe he’s like this today because the weather has gotten cooler recently, and the idol is just clinging to whatever warmth he can find. 

Eventually, the brunette successfully pries her body free of his vice-like grip. However, right as she reaches the edge of the bed and moves to sit up, familiar arms wrap around her waist, making her sigh. “Rei-kun, I have to go to school. If you’re cold, I can go turn up the heater for you on my way out.”

A pitiful whine passes his lips as he rests his chin on her shoulder. “But, An-chaaaaan.”

She rolls her eyes. “No buts. Besides, the last time I checked you had school today too, or are you skipping?”

Rei huffs as he tightens his grip on her. “I’ll go eventually. There’s no point in me goin’ to any of my early classes when I can barely stay awake. I’ll try to be there in time for lunch at least.”

Once again, Anzu tries to escape the older boy’s hold to no avail. “Rei-kun, how long are you planning on holding onto me? I thought you were tired. Don’t you want to go back to sleep?”

He nuzzles her neck. “I sleep better with you here. Why don’t you stay a little longer, An-chan? I’ll let you go before lunch, I promise~”

This is really unusual. Rei has never asked her to skip class before. Usually, on mornings like this, the idol wakes up long enough to see her off before going right back to sleep. Is he like this because he’s so bad with cold weather, or is something else going on?

Before she can question him about his strange behavior, Rei suddenly asks, “Hey, An-chan, have you ever heard of the English nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty?”

His words catch her completely off guard. “Uh...no? I don’t think so.”

With a chuckle, Rei recites, “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again.”

What a tragic nursery rhyme. Is that really something foreigners teach their children?

Rather than ask that question, the brunette decides to inquire about the reason behind him sharing that nursery rhyme so suddenly. “Why are you bringing up a foreign nursery rhyme all of a sudden?”

For awhile, the idol remains silent, making her wonder if he plans on answering her inquiry. Finally, just as she opens her mouth to break the silence, Rei quietly asks, “Hey, An-chan, if it were you in that position, what would you do? If someone you knew shattered to pieces, how would you react?”

Despite how strange the question is, Anzu can tell there’s a lot of importance behind it. Her childhood friend isn’t just asking her this for no reason. 

Honestly, she wishes it was just a random question because then she wouldn’t have to consider the implications hidden behind his words. The brunette wouldn’t have to imagine the picture those words are trying to paint. 

After taking a deep breath, Anzu slowly exhales, “If I were in that position, I’d do whatever it takes to save my friend. I wouldn’t accept failure as an option. I’d keep collecting and picking up their pieces and find a way to put them together again no matter how long it takes.”

Silence ensues for several minutes. It’s eventually broken by Rei who chuckles. “That sounds just like you, An-chan. I had a feeling you’d say that.”

At that moment, the arms around her waist disappear, prompting her to turn around to face the older boy who smiles. “Thanks for answerin’ my question. And, sorry for bein’ selfish earlier. I shouldn’t have tried to make you skip class just to keep me company.”

While she’s sure his smile is meant to be reassuring, all Anzu can think when she sees it is how lonely it makes Rei look. His usual smiles always exude such confidence, but this one seems so fragile in comparison, making him appear like he could break at any moment. 

A sharp pang resounds in her chest at the sight of her childhood friend looking so unlike his usual self. Before she even realizes what she’s doing, Anzu moves to wrap her arms around Rei and hugs him as tightly as she can.

Confused, Rei slowly returns the hug. “An-chan?”

For some reason, right now the brunette feels that she absolutely cannot let go of the dark haired boy--that he’ll shatter if she’s not there to hold all his pieces together. Even though she knows she should be heading to school, Anzu can’t bring herself to leave his side because she’s scared of what will happen if she leaves Rei alone when he’s looking so vulnerable. 

The fact that he actually asked her to stay in the first place was the first sign that something was wrong since Rei never asks others to inconvenience themselves for his sake. There’s also that nursery rhyme he brought up earlier.

Maybe this is how Rei asks for help. Rather than directly tell her what’s wrong, the idol just asks for her to remain at his side because things are easier for him when he’s not alone.

And, perhaps that nursery rhyme was also a call for help. Maybe that’s how Rei chose to show how he’s really feeling. 

If that’s the case, then it’s obvious what Anzu needs to do. With a smile, she looks up to meet her friend’s gaze. “I just remembered my first class today is math. Rather than force myself to suffer through that, I think I’ll just stay a little longer with you instead.”

Rei blinks in surprise before donning one of his usual grins.“You’ve always hated math, haven’t you? You used to come to me with your math homework all the time, claimin’ I was better at explainin’ things than your teachers. Would you like me to help you with that later?” 

Relief washes over her when his expression brightens, making him look more like his usual self. Her smile grows. “I would love that but only if you have the free time to do that. I know your schedule can get just as busy here as it does overseas. I don’t want you to waste your free time on my math homework.”

He falls back onto the bed, pulling her along with him. “Time spent with you is never a waste, An-chan. I’d much rather teach you the whole first year curriculum than deal with some of the nonsense I gotta handle overseas.”

Anzu giggles, “You don’t have to go that far. Besides, you’re supposed to be an idol not a tutor, remember? Your fans would be really disappointed if you dedicated all your time to teaching me.”

After pulling the covers over the two of them, Rei moves to lie on his side, keeping his childhood friend secure in his arms. “Yeah, I wouldn’t wanna do that even though spendin’ all that time with you would be fun. I’d like bein’ able to see you more often.”

Her expression softens as she snuggles closer to the older boy. “Me too, but it’s okay. We just have to make the most of the time we do get to spend together.”

His grip on her tightens as Rei buries his face in her hair. “Yeah, you’re right. Gotta make the most of what we got. Can’t waste a single minute.”

Seconds after he says that, his breathing evens out, signaling that the idol has fallen asleep. Since there’s really not anything else she can do in this situation, Anzu decides to join him and drifts off shortly after she closes her eyes.

Unsurprisingly, the brunette ends up missing more than just her first class, but that’s okay. Anzu was where she was needed most, and to her, that’s all that matters.

###### 

As of late, whenever Anzu sees Rei, it’s always as a result of her going to his house to visit while he’s in town. Of course, that’s not surprising since it’s only natural that she’d find him there considering the idol often returns at a late hour and would obviously want to head straight home after leaving the airport. 

At the end of November, however, an unexpected change occurs in that routine. 

It happens one night while Anzu is in her room, working on a drawing she had started earlier that day while she and Suzu were skipping class. The brunette has always hated leaving things half done, so she wanted to finish sketching everything before turning in for the night. 

Just as she’s reaching for her eraser to fix a mistake she made, Anzu hears something tapping on her bedroom window, which makes her jolt in surprise. Her gaze immediately swivels toward the source of the sound, and her eyes widen when she sees who caused it. “Rei-kun?!”

Rei grins as he waves from his spot on the tree branch right outside her window. “Hey, An-chan~”

Anzu quickly sets her sketchbook aside before hurrying toward the window to open it. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming home today!”

After she moves away from the window, the older boy climbs into her room and closes the window behind him. “I got to come home earlier than I originally planned since I took care of everythin’ I needed to do faster than expected. Since you’re always comin’ to see me, I thought I’d come visit your place this time instead. That alright?”

An amused smile forms on her face. “Of course, it’s alright, but why did you climb the tree to get to my room? Too cool for knocking now?”

He snorts as he pulls her into a hug. “Nah, I just didn’t wanna risk wakin’ the rest of your family. This seemed like the best method to get your attention.”

She rolls her eyes as she returns the embrace. “It’s a good thing it’s so late, or we’d be getting calls from the neighbors because of your little stunt.”

Rei buries his face in her hair. “Just tell ‘em you got visited by the local vampire. Vampires like goin’ after cute girls like you, right? They’d understand.”

His response makes her laugh. “I highly doubt that explanation would go over well with the neighbors. They’d think I was crazy for sure if I told them that.”

A few minutes later, the idol pulls away from the younger girl. “Guess you’re right. I forgot that people normally don’t believe in that kinda thing.”

Something feels off about his words just now, but Anzu isn’t sure what it is. It’s only after she takes the time to properly study his expression that she figures it out. 

In his gaze, the brunette sees a mixture of bitterness and exasperation. She almost missed it because she was momentarily distracted by how weary his expression is. He looks exhausted like he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks. 

While she has many questions after seeing such a look on her friend’s face, Anzu decides to focus on his obvious exhaustion first. “You look exhausted, Rei-kun. Have you gotten any sleep lately?”

Shaking his head, Rei moves to take a seat on the edge of her bed. “Not really. It’s been awhile since I last had a full night’s sleep.”

A frown forms on her face as she moves to sit beside him. “That’s unusual for you. Is it because you’ve been so busy lately?”

The dark haired boy tiredly runs a hand down his face. “Nah, it ain’t that. I have enough time to sleep. It’s just been hard for me to relax enough to properly sleep.”

After throwing an arm across her shoulders, Rei leans down to rest his head against the top of hers. “That’s one of the reasons I came to see you. Obviously, I wanna spend time with you ‘cause I missed you, but at this point, the only time I can really relax enough to actually sleep is when I’m with you. So, I...”

His voice goes quiet. “I wanted to ask for your help.”

Her eyes widen. This is the first time Rei has ever asked her for help unprompted. Usually, she has to offer to help before he asks, but this time the idol actually sought her out. 

He realized he needed help and came to her, trusting that she’d be there for him. Rei believed in those words she told him all those months ago. 

Tears spring to her eyes once she makes that realization. Without hesitation, Anzu moves to hug the older boy. “Of course, I’ll help. If being with me will help you sleep, I’ll stay by your side as long as you need me to.”

The tension in his frame immediately eases at her words. When he returns the embrace, Rei squeezes her tightly. “Thank you, An-chan. I really appreciate it.”

They remain in that position for a while before Anzu finally pulls back to look up at him. “I don’t remember you feeling this thin when I hugged you during your last visit. When was the last time you ate something?”

Rei winces as he quickly averts his eyes. “That’s, uh, a good question.”

With a huff, the brunette rises to her feet. “Stay right there. I’m gonna make something light for you to eat since you won’t be able to sleep if your stomach is too full.”

While he tries to convince her that she doesn’t need to go through all the trouble, Anzu refuses to listen to him. After telling him to make himself comfortable, the younger girl hurries to the kitchen, doing her best to be quiet since the rest of her family should be asleep at this hour.

Once she finishes preparing the rice balls, Anzu grabs some tomatoes and pulls a juice box out of the refrigerator. After she collects everything, the brunette returns to her room and finds her childhood friend lying on his back on her bed.

Upon her arrival, Rei immediately moves to sit up. “Welcome back~ Are those tomatoes I smell?”

Chuckling, Anzu gently tosses one in his direction which he catches with ease. As he munches on the fruit, the younger girl takes a seat beside him. “Be sure to have some of the rice balls too. Don’t just eat the tomatoes because they’re your favorite.”

He grins as he slings an arm across her shoulders. “I’d never waste any food you made for me, An-chan. I’ll eat everythin’, I promise~”

True to his word, Rei eats everything his childhood friend brought him, not wasting a single bite. Once he’s done, the brunette sets the empty plate aside on her desk, deciding she can just return it to the kitchen in the morning.

Since it’s late, the two decide to turn in for the night. While Rei immediately crawls under the covers, Anzu first moves to turn off the lights before joining him. 

As soon as she’s within arm’s reach, the idol pulls her into an embrace. After he does this, Rei rests his face against her hair and releases a content sigh. “You’re a real lifesaver, An-chan. Thank you.”

She gives him a gentle squeeze after returning the embrace. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.”

Rei presses a kiss against her hair before chuckling, “All you ever do is help me. Even though I should be looking after you as the oldest, every time I come home you’re goin’ out of your way to take care of me. You never complain no matter how selfish I get. You’re too good to me.”

Anzu shakes her head. “That’s not true. For as long as we’ve known each other, you’ve always been the one taking care of me. Despite how many responsibilities you had, you always went out of your way for my sake. You’ve done so much for me, yet for all those years, I wasn’t able to do anything for you.”

When he pulls away from her hair, the brunette looks up to meet his gaze. “You’ve always taken care of me, and now I finally have the opportunity to return the favor. That’s what family is about, Rei-chan. We take care of each other.”

His expression softens in response to her words. “You’ve done more for me than you realize. During our childhood, you brought so much happiness into my life just by bein’ yourself. Because of our family’s health condition, Ritsu and I weren’t able to make friends as easily as everyone else. We were always treated differently ‘til you came.”

With a soft smile, Rei moves to cup her cheek. “You treated us like you would anyone else. You accepted all our faults and loved us for who we were. That easy acceptance of yours meant the world to us.”

At that moment, that bitter look from earlier flashes across his eyes. “If only all people were like that.”

So, that’s why he was wearing such an expression earlier. It’s because Rei hates how it’s become normal for him to be treated like he’s some kind of otherworldly being. Normally, people wouldn’t believe in beings like vampires, but that’s not the case for the people in his life.

All his family members consider themselves to be vampires because of their health condition, so Rei has had that label forced on him all his life. And, if that wasn’t already bad enough, other people started following him around, treating him as if he were a god, despite the fact that he was still just a kid.

He even got the title, Demon King, after entering high school. All his life, Rei has been treated like he was anything but human, and he hates it. 

And, so does Anzu.

Quickly, before Rei can react, the brunette scoots upwards until she’s eye level with her friend. Once she does that, Anzu wraps her arms around his neck and pulls his head toward her until it comes to rest against her chest. 

His confusion is obvious by the tone of his voice when he speaks. “An-chan?”

Anzu runs her fingers through his hair. “You can hear that, can’t you? My heartbeat? It’s the same as yours because you’re just like me--a human. You’re not a vampire, or a god, or a demon. You’re just a human like everyone else.”

Rei goes still at her words. When he doesn’t give her an immediate response, she continues, “You’re one of the most brilliant and talented people I know, but unlike everyone else, I know you’re like that because you work harder than everyone else. I remember when we were kids seeing you in your library reading one book after another all throughout the night. I remember thinking how cool you looked that night.”

The dark haired boy tightens his grip on her as he begins to tremble. “An-chan..”

A soft smile forms on her face as she kisses his hair. “You’re not a monster. You’re my kind, dependable big brother. Nothing more nothing less.”

When his trembling increases, Anzu starts stroking his back. “You’re one of the strongest people I know, but it’s okay if you’re not always strong, Rei-chan. I won’t think any less of you, I promise. You’ll always be my cool big brother.”

Seconds after she says that, the front of her shirt starts to grow damp, and she hugs him tighter in response. Remembering what Rei used to do whenever she was upset, Anzu starts humming one of the songs he’d sing to her when they were kids.

Considering the way he strengthens his grip on her after she starts humming, it’s obvious Rei recognizes the song. However, the idol doesn’t comment on it, instead choosing to remain silent as he clings to his childhood friend.

For awhile, they remain in that position. During that time, the only sound heard is Anzu’s humming. 

That changes once Rei finally finds his voice. “Thank you, An-chan. I….I really needed to hear that. I know you’ve never considered me as anythin’ but human, but I just really needed to hear those words actually spoken if that makes sense.”

She gently cards her fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I get it. You’re so used to being called anything but human that it’s a relief to finally hear someone say what you really are.”

When he peers up at her, Anzu is happy to see nothing but contentment and relief in his eyes. “Yeah. I’m grateful you know me so well. You always seem to know what to say to cheer me up. You’re amazin’.”

The corners of her lips quirk upwards. “So are you. I don’t think anyone can read me as well as you and Ritchan.”

Rei grins proudly. “We’re An-chan experts.”

Chuckling, the brunette leans down to kiss his forehead. “That’s right. And, since you’re such an expert, you probably know exactly what I’m going to tell you next, right?” 

His grin grows. “Go to sleep?”

She nods her head. “Yep. That’s what you came for after all. As much as I enjoy talking with you, we don’t need to stay up any longer. You need to get as much sleep as you can.”

There’s a brief pause before Rei quietly asks, “Will you stay with me ‘til I wake up?”

Her expression softens. “Of course, after all, I’m the host in this situation. I’d be a horrible host if I left to go to school while my guest was still asleep, wouldn’t I?”

He sighs in relief before giving her a grateful smile. “Thank you, An-chan, for everything. I promise to really dote on you the next time I get the chance to hang out with you. Onii-chan will definitely make it up to you after everythin’ you’ve done.”

Anzu huffs in amusement. “I’d say you don’t have to do that, but I can tell your mind is already made up. So, I guess I’ll just have to accept whatever you plan on throwing my way.”

Rei reaches up to kiss her cheek before moving to rest his head against her chest again. “Good girl. Let Onii-chan spoil you to his heart’s content. That way we’ll all be happy.”

With a yawn, the idol closes his eyes. “Good night, An-chan. Sweet dreams.”

She smiles as she follows his example. “Good night, Rei-chan.”

Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take long for the pair to fall asleep. Rei finally succumbs to the fatigue that has been weighing heavily on him the last several weeks while Anzu drifts off quickly because her current position is so warm and comfortable.

Unbeknownst to the two, content smiles appear on both of their faces while they’re sleeping and remain there throughout the night.

**Author's Note:**

> In case y'all were wondering, the "Welcome home" "I'm home" exchange is the "Okaeri" "Taidama" exchange you often see in anime. I just wanted to include that since I thought it'd be cute for Rei to have someone to welcome him home ^^
> 
> In regards to the nicknames, Rei and Ritsu call Anzu "An-chan". However, Rei is only allowed to use that nickname in private since Anzu gets embarrassed when he calls her that in public much to his distress. Ritsu can always call her that since he always gets his way lol Anzu uses the "Ritchan" nickname that Mao sometimes uses for Ritsu while she calls Rei "Rei-kun". When they were kids, she called him "Rei-chan" or "Onii-chan" so occasionally she'll revert back to using "Rei-chan" when they're alone.
> 
> I just really wanted to write a fic with Anzu supporting Rei during his second year when things started getting bad for him. I wanted him to get the support he deserved. 
> 
> I'll post another ReiAn fic to celebrate Rei's birthday. I hope y'all will like it! ^-^


End file.
